Conventional guns and projectile launching weapons utilize the burning of chemical propellents to achieve high projectile velocities. In recent years there has been a renewed interest in projectile launchers which utilize electromagnetic energy. Generally speaking, electromagnetic launchers promise higher projectile velocities than launchers utilizing chemical propellants. A prior art design currently receiving considerable attention is the electromagnetic railgun. The electromagnetic railgun utilizes two long parallel rails capable of carrying a large current. A sliding, conducting armature is positioned between the two rails. The armature is adapted to slide between the two rails along their entire length. Application of a voltage across two ends of the two rails causes a large current pulse to flow through one rail, thence through the armature, and into the other rail. The current generates a magnetic field. The Lorentz force created by the interaction of the magnetic field with the current in the armature causes the armature to be rapidly propelled between the two rails in a direction away from the points of application of the voltage. The armature itself may be projected like a bullet at a target, or the armature may be used to push a bullet-type projectile at high velocity towards a chosen target and the armature ultimately slowed and retained with the device for future shots. A detailed discussion of the principles of operation of an electomagnetic railgun is contained in applicant's co-pending application, titled "Electromagnetic Injector/Railgun," Ser. No. 910,915, Filed, Sept. 22, 1986, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. To achieve high projectile velocities, large currents must be provided to the rails of the railgun. It is estimated that a current of at least 225 kiloAmperes (kA) is required to accelerate a two gram projectile to a velocity of 2 kilometers per second in a railgun of 1 meter length. The total weight of such a system is estimated to be between 150 and 200 pounds. The great weight of such a system makes the design of a hand-held railgun problematic.